1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine useful for concurrently aligning a multiplicity of capsule shells in preparation for separation of the capsule caps from the capsule bodies, concurrent removal of the capsule caps from the capsule bodies, and concurrent replacement and sealing of the capsule caps on the capsule bodies once the capsule bodies have been filled with the desired substance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different medications and vitamin and mineral supplements are orally administered in the form of gel capsules that dissolve in the human body once ingested. Gel capsules are manufactured in several standardized sizes and include capsule shells, each comprised of a capsule cap that slides onto the end of a capsule body. Conventional capsule shells are oblong in shape, having rounded ends, and vary in size from a small fraction of an inch to slightly over an inch in length. Both the caps and the cylindrical bodies of conventional gel capsule shells have a circular, annular cross section.
During the manufacture of the capsule shell components the walls of each capsule body are deformed by creating a shallow, annular, radial groove in the outer wall surface a short distance from the open, circular mouth of the capsule body. The capsule caps are each deformed to create a mating, radially inwardly projecting ring on their inner wall surfaces near their closed extremities. As shipped, the capsule shells are still separable so that they can be filled with a medical composition, vitamins, and/or minerals with the cap of each capsule shell telescopically fitted onto the mouth of the capsule body so that the capsule shell is provided in the form of a closed unit.
As provided by capsule shell manufacturers, the capsule cap is telescopically fitted onto the capsule body to only a limited extent, so that a longitudinal gap exists between the radially inwardly projecting ring on the inner wall of the capsule cap and the corresponding radial groove formed in the outer wall of the capsule body. Consequently, the capsule cap can be easily separated from the capsule body in order for the capsule body to be filled with the desired substance.
Once the medication or other powdered, granular, or liquid material has been placed in the capsule bodies, the caps of the capsule shells are concurrently replaced on to the open mouths of the capsule body shells. The caps and the bodies are then concurrently pressed toward each other a sufficient distance so that the annular, radially inwardly protruding ring on each capsule cap engages the outwardly facing annular groove on the outer wall of a capsule body. The capsule caps are thereupon inextricably sealed onto the capsule bodies.
Very sophisticated, expensive capsule shell manipulation machines exist for the mass production of capsules containing medication, vitamins, minerals, and other substances. Such machines are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,081,822; 4,884,602; 4,964,262; 4,731,979; 4,761,932; and 5,074,102. The prior art machines depicted in these patents are exemplary only, as numerous other devices exist for the mass production of filled capsules. However, the foregoing devices share a common characteristic of very substantial expense in capital equipment for the machinery required and constant monitoring. The cost of such conventional systems can be justified only where extremely high volumes of capsules are involved.
There exists, however, a need for machinery for manipulating smaller batches of capsules, as well as the continuous mass production of capsules. That is, a need exists for much lower cost equipment than conventional capsule filing machinery in order to concurrently separate capsule caps from capsule bodies, fill the capsule bodies, and replace and seal the capsule caps on the filled capsule bodies in volumes on the order of about one hundred capsules at a time. It would be highly desirable to use low cost, manually operated equipment, rather than the expensive, automated, continuously operating equipment that is available for the mass production of capsules.
Some devices do exist for this purpose. For example, Tashi Enterprises located at 5221 Central Avenue, No. 105, Richmond, Calif. 94804, has distributed a capsule loader, model CH 100-00 utilized for orienting the capsule components and separating the capsule caps from the capsule bodies, and a model M 100-00GM capsule filler for sealing the capsule bodies. This equipment is intended to provide advantages over manual separation of capsule caps and bodies and replacing the capsule caps and sealing them to the capsule bodies once the capsules are filled. However, due to its design, this equipment is to some extent unreliable and requires considerable operator skill to prevent the capsules from being damaged during manufacture. Also, it is subject to improper capsule shell component orientation due to the effects of static electrical charges upon the capsule shell components.